Ghana faced a sense of déjà vu as their exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations was all but confirmed with a late 2-2 draw against Mozambique in Abidjan, echoing a similar scenario against Comoros two years prior.

Jordan Ayew’s two penalty goals briefly elevated the Black Stars above Egypt in Group B, who were trailing behind Cape Verde in the simultaneous Group B match.

Much like their encounter with Comoros, Ghana once again allowed the underdog to stage a comeback, conceding stoppage-time goals to Geny Catamo’s penalty and Reinildo Mandava’s header. This, coupled with Egypt’s draw, almost certainly marked the end of Ghana’s journey in the tournament.

Under the guidance of Chris Hughton, the Black Stars took an early lead within the first quarter of an hour when Nanani fouled Joseph Paintsil, resulting in Ayew calmly converting the penalty.

Despite Mozambique’s status as one of the lower-ranked nations in AFCON, having never won a game in the tournament, Ghana struggled to assert dominance and spent prolonged periods as the second-best side in Abidjan.

The Mambas displayed slick play in the first half, lacking a direct threat on Richard Ofori’s goal. However, their fortunes changed after the break, with chances from Lau King and Bruno Langa testing the goalkeeper.

Nevertheless, Mozambique’s inability to convert chances came back to haunt them when Ghana, against the run of play, doubled their lead. Reinildo was penalized for blocking a close-range shot with a slightly outstretched arm, providing Ayew with the opportunity to secure his brace.

In a twist of fate, Ghana’s substitute Andre Ayew was later judged to have handled the ball in a similar incident, granting Geny Catamo the chance to bring his side back into the game as six minutes of stoppage time commenced.